THE Wests Tigers have been granted permission for exciting youngster Luke Brooks to debut, which could spell the end of Benji Marshall's NRL career.

The Tigers were granted a salary cap dispensation on Thursday afternoon for Brooks and fellow youngster Nathan Brown to take the field this Saturday afternoon against the Dragons.

The youngsters were previously banned from NRL action due to a second tier salary cap dispute.

Permission to play will need to be granted on a weekly basis until the end of the NRL season.

Brooks is considered the heir apparent to ailing star Marshall.

Gun young half Luke Brooks. Picture: Gregg Porteous

Marshall has been in horrible form this year, with coach Mick Potter under pressure to drop his former star player after he signed for Super Rugby club the Auckland Blues for the 2014 season earlier this month.

"Wests Tigers have been granted permission from the NRL for exciting youngsters Luke Brooks and Nathan Brown to possibly make their first grade debuts this weekend," The Tigers said in a statement on Thursday afternoon.

"The club yesterday wrote to NRL salary cap auditor Ian Schubert asking for permission to breach the second tier salary cap by allowing the talented pair to play against St George-Illawarra Dragons at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday.

Benji Marshall looks on after the Tigers concede a try. Photo by Matt King/Getty Images

"The decision as to whether Brooks and Brown will play will be made by coach Mick Potter following the team’s final training session tomorrow.

"The permission granted by Schubert was made under special circumstances given that neither team could make the NRL finals series.

"This was a one-off application that will be assessed on a weekly basis subject to Wests Tigers upcoming matches in the final few rounds of the Telstra Premiership and whether the opposition teams can make the finals.

"The decision by Schubert to grant permission was based upon it being in the best interests of the game as a whole."

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